Zara and H&M Are Officially In Spring Mode—9 Elevated Basics That Will Sell Out Before March

The spring collections have arrived on the high street, and these are the most elegant pieces you need to see first.

Florrie Alexander's avatar
By
published
in Buying Guides
Model wears white top, blue jeans; model wears navy knit with gold buttons and tailored trousers; model wears brown suede trench coat, blue shirt and navy trousers
(Image credit: Who What Wear UK)

Hints of spring's arrival are appearing all around us, from the yellow flashes of daffodils to the brighter blue skies breaking through the grey. Whilst we still have another week or so to go before the new season officially arrives, on the high street, spring has already arrived.

Model wears cropped trench coat

Zara Short Trench Coat With Balloon Effect (£60)

(Image credit: Zara)

The spring 2026 collections have launched just in time to ready our wardrobes for the seasonal switchover, and already a clear mood has been set. The defining tones of the new season are renewed classics, leaning on the tried and true styles that we always turn to, now with a slight update to feel infinitely new once more.

Model wears suede trench coat, blue shirt, blue jeans

Zara Long Faux Suede Trench Coat (£50); Zara High Waist Boot Cut Jeans With Belt (£30)

(Image credit: Zara)

The brilliance of this shift is that it’s so slight yet so impactful. From trusted tailoring to reliable spring jackets and floaty blouses, we’ve already mastered how to style these pieces in our wardrobes, but slight adjustments ensure they feel like a total renewal. Updated necklines, fresh spring shades and updated silhouettes are ready to seamlessly transport our wardrobes into the new season, and bring a rejuvenated edge to our most relied upon looks. Spring 2026 isn’t about an overhaul, but subtle yet effective updates in the staples department.

After months of winter weather, you don’t want to spend your time searching for these wardrobe updates. Instead, I’ve done the hard work for you, bringing the chicest and most expensive-looking spring buys directly to you. I spent hours scrolling through the high street in search of worthwhile buys, and found myself returning time and time again to Zara and H&M’s new-in sections. Clearly, these two brands have cracked spring dressing in the chicest way, and these are the buys you need to see before they sell out first.

Shop the 9 Most Elegant Spring Buys at Zara and H&M

Explore More:
Florrie Alexander
Florrie Alexander
Shopping Editor

Florrie embarked on her fashion journey whilst studying in Aix-en-Provence, she began to write her dissertation on the history of fashion and landed her first role at Harper’s Bazaar. Following this, she interned for various publications including Elle, Grazia and Marie Claire before joining the fashion team at Conde Nast Traveller. There, she contributed to international photoshoots, styled pages and covers, and produced engaging digital content. Over eight years of fashion industry experience, Florrie has honed her skills from styling e-commerce photoshoots to personal shopping. Florrie first joined Who What Wear UK as a freelancer before becoming the Commerce Writer. Now, as the Shopping Editor, she monitors current trends, new-in styles, wardrobe heroes and how best to style them.